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1. Descriptionxe2x80x94Technical Field
The present invention relates to apparatus for mixing and diluting a concentrated liquid lubricant and a dilution material to form a diluted lubricant solution and more particularly to a mass balance proportioner for weighing and mixing a concentrated lubricant and a dilution material to form a diluted lubricant having a predetermined dilution ratio based upon weight of concentrated lubricant to weight of dilution material. The mass balance proportioner includes a mixing tank for receiving the concentrated lubricant and the dilution material, a scale for weighing the concentrated lubricant in the mixing tank and the dilution material in the mixing tank to establish a mixture of diluted lubricant which is predetermined based upon weight of concentrated lubricant to weight of dilution material. A mixer is provided to mix the concentrated lubricant and dilution material in the mixing tank to form a substantially homogeneous solution of diluted lubricant and an outlet is provided from the mixing tank. A storage tank receives the homogeneous solution of mixed concentrated lubricant and dilution material from the mixing tank and holds the mixed solution for use. A second mixer is provided for mixing the solution in the storage tank to maintain a substantially homogeneous solution of lubricant and dilution material.
2. Background of the Invention
Volumetric proportioners are well known for mixing a number of materials such as a lubricant and a dilution material based on the sensed volume of the dilution material and the sensed volume of lubricant. However, volumetric proportioners are not accurate in that they are unable to compensate for variables in the make up of the lubricant, oil, or other product that is being diluted. Such variables include density, viscosity and head pressures.
Density fluctuations are caused by temperature variations which can cause the density of the material to be mixed to increase or decrease and thus create either high or low dilution rates in volumetric proportioners. Density fluctuations are also caused by foam generated by the centrifugal or gear pumps typically used in volumetric proportioners. The foam lowers the density of lubricant which is being pumped and thus drops the amount of lubricant in the final dilution solution.
When a lubricant is pumped, the centrifugal and gear pumps typically used in volumetric proportioners are very viscosity sensitive, but the pumps do not compensate for the viscosity variances when viscosity variances occur. Thus, viscosity variances create inaccuracies in volumetric proportioners which occur based upon lubricant temperature and normal fluctuations in the base oils disposed in the lubricant. In addition, centrifugal and gear pumps are sensitive to head pressure and if the lubricant is being supplied from an intermediate bulk container, as the level of fluid in the container decreases, the efficiency of the pump will decrease especially with high density or concentrated lubricants causing further inaccuracies in volumetric proportioners.
The present invention overcomes the problems associated with the prior art by providing a mass balance proportioner which weighs both the concentrated lubricant and the dilution material. This eliminates any errors in dilution that may be caused by changes in density, viscosity or head pressure and ensures that any final dilution will remain constant based upon weight of lubricant to weight of dilution material. This provides a substantial improvement over volumetric proportioners which form a dilution based on gallon of lubricant to gallon of dilution material and which are sensitive to changes in density, viscosity and head pressures.
The present invention provides a simple, low cost mass balance proportioner for weighing and mixing a concentrated lubricant and a dilution material to form a diluted lubricant which has a predetermined dilution ratio based upon weight of concentrated lubricant to weight of dilution material and which maintains accuracy even when changes in density, viscosity or head pressure occur.
The present invention further provides a new and improved mass balance proportioner for weighing and mixing a concentrated lubricant and a dilution material to form a diluted lubricant having a predetermined dilution ratio based upon weight of concentrated lubricant to weight of dilution material including a supply of concentrated lubricant, a supply of dilution material, a mixing tank for receiving the concentrated lubricant and the dilution material, a scale for weighing the concentrated lubricant in the mixing tank and the dilution material in the mixing tank to establish a predetermined mixture of diluted lubricant in said mixing tank which is predetermined and based upon weight of concentrated lubricant to weight of dilution material. A mixer for mixing the concentrated lubricant and dilution material in the mixing tank is provided to form a substantially homogeneous solution of diluted lubricant. An outlet is located in the mixing tank and a storage tank is provided for receiving and storing the mixed homogeneous solution of diluted lubricant. A second mixer is located in the storage tank for mixing the diluted lubricant in the storage tank to maintain a substantially homogenous mixture of diluted lubricant and an outlet is provided from the storage tank for directing the homogeneous solution of diluted lubricant to a use location.
Still another provision of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for mixing a concentrated lubricant and a dilution material by weight comprising a first container, a first inlet for directing a supply of concentrated lubricant to the first container, a second inlet for directing a supply of dilution material to the first container, a scale for weighing the dilution material in the first container and for weighing the concentrated lubricant in the first container to establish a diluted lubricant solution in the first container which is based upon a preset ratio of weight of concentrated lubricant to weight of dilution material, a first mixer for mixing the concentrated lubricant and the dilution material in said first container to create a substantially homogeneous solution of diluted lubricant and an outlet in the first container for directing the mixed solution of diluted lubricant from the first container, a second container for receiving the substantially homogeneous solution of diluted lubricant for storing the solution of diluted lubricant for use, a second mixer for mixing the diluted lubricant in the second container to maintain a substantially homogeneous solution of lubricant and dilution material and an outlet from the second container for directing the solution of diluted lubricant to a use location.